By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 30th June 2022) — Premier Mark Brantley is questioning why the building of a new prison has been given top priority over other projects, labelling the project “the scam of all scams.” Speaking at a live joint press conference hosted by PAM and CCM on Monday 27th June 2022 at the St. Kitts Marriott Hotel, Brantley asked: “How did the cost of the prison jump from EC$88 million — that’s the estimated cost — to a provision of 2.4 billion?” He questioned why PM Harris made the prison a priority over the Basseterre High School, drilling for water in Cayon, universal health insurance and access to healthcare. “I have said that any leader anywhere in the world who prefers to fund incarceration over education is a failed leader,” Brantley stated.
“I cannot see that any government in the world would make that a priority over education, over health care, over training and development for our young people, over building people. When we start to evaluate this new project, we will start to understand why it has been plucked out of the bag and elevated to the top, and I believe that all of us should be outraged about this.” PAM Leader Shawn Richards echoed the call: “PAM and CCM cannot and will not stand by and watch this administration build prisons instead of people. PAM-CCM will continue to interrogate and challenge plans and policies that are not representative and inclusive of the needs of our people. We call for better use of the people’s resources. We call for the Citizenship By Investment programme to be better managed and used to enhance the lives of people across this Federation. We are calling on the Harris administration to immediately halt the 2.4 billion dollars Harris prison project and begin a period of national consultation with the people.”